Vehicle emergency call systems have been known for a relatively long time. For the automated sending of an emergency call (Ecall), transmission units are placed in vehicles in order to automatically dial a standard number, for example the European emergency call number 112 or 911 in the USA, in the event of an accident. Additionally, further service providers may be involved in the line of communication of an emergency call.
Usually, the information about the accident is sent by the vehicle to a public safety answering point (PSAP), which is manned and which centrally assigns the rescue task to an ambulance which is currently in the vicinity of the accident location. In this case, the public safety answering point resorts to a firmly prescribed database which stores the data for the ambulances.
In addition, for the most part, standardized fully digital mobile radio networks, such as the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), are used for the data transmission between the vehicles which are equipped with Ecall, the public safety answering point and possible assistance, such as paramedics. In addition, the geographical position of the accident is found by virtue of Geodata being transmitted using satellite navigation systems such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) or generally a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). This ensures that the accident location is found quickly. This involves a predefined data record being transmitted to the public safety answering point.